Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?~ Abraham Lincoln, Sun in Aquarius

Happy Birthday to all the free spirits and visionaries of this iconoclastic sign, for they are pointing the way to the turning of the Age for us all.

Aquarians are true originals. They love to think outside the box, and in fact, cannot abide boxes at all. To understand this, I need only mention a few famous Aquarians like Thomas Edison, James Joyce, Galileo, Charles Darwin and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – all visionaries that broke ranks in spectacular fashion with the conventions of their times.

Aquarians delight in their eccentricities and love to sail off in the opposite direction of the crowd, as astrologer Annabel Burton so aptly describes them: “Unusually lively, inventive and oh so original…they are always out of step with the world because they think ahead of their time and revel in anything different. As Aquarius thinks today, so the world will think tomorrow.”

Those quirks and preoccupations can make Air sign Aquarius a bit distant at first, and picky about who is allowed into her or his intimate circle. But once there, as a fixed sign, the kind-hearted Water-bearer demands and gives utter loyalty and commitment.

Aquarians tend to spend most of their time in their brilliant heads, which can bless them with excellent judgment. But to be successful, their challenge is to follow through, and act on their insights. And they need to take care that their rebellious and stubborn tendencies do not lead them to become self-absorbed, stuck in their patterns, or emotionally oblivious.

At their best, though, Aquarians can be the ultimate humanitarians, disarming their enemies with understanding and kindness, and insisting on liberation and enlightenment for all.

When the Sun is in Aquarius

The days are noticeably longer now. The first stirrings of life appear, proof that Winter will not last forever. And so we see that life is all about change. This is a time when a new level of consciousness is called for, and zoning out is not a good strategy.

Instead, we may be called upon to get out of our comfort zone and take action. This is especially true if we have been in denial or ignoring some deeper unhappiness. Challenging conformity and the status quo are important, especially if existing situations are interfering with the greater good of all.

The late Maya del Mar wrote:
“In Aquarius time we each open to our own light and let it shine for all. We learn that when we put light on any situation, we get light back…

“Aquarius calls on us to awaken—to become conscious of our world, responsive to the needs of others, and open to our own self-expression.”

(This is why I have chosen this time to begin rolling out the classes and workshops I will be offering in 2012! Sign up for my WINGS newsletter and stay tuned here for details soon!)

The Aquarius Sun shows us that as we become more sensitive to the forces around us, our responsibilities increase. Our ideals of brotherhood and sisterhood are stimulated, and we desire to make the world a better place.

May the dawning of this time of the Sun in Aquarius, 2012 guide us to the dawning of such an Age in which it is so.